Walt’s TV Takes On Showrooming

Tempe, Ariz. – Walt’s TV, an independent specialty dealer based here, will tackle showrooming head on when it opens its second store here next month.

The new 10,000-square-foot superstore will provide both an Internet-connected kiosk where customers can check online prices, and a price-match guarantee.

The concept, said CEO Robert Hendley, will allow customers to leave the store with the TV they want at a price they like without the wait.

Hendley cited a recent study by Anderson Robbins Research for Linkable Networks which showed that 67 percent of brick-and-mortar shoppers check their smartphones in-store to find better pricing, and that the majority – 62 percent – ultimately buy online at a lower price.

“We are one of the few small companies facing showrooming head on by providing the service in our store,” Hendley noted. “Combining all of our services under one roof will allow us to operate more efficiently, and that, along with the new kiosk, will translate into greater savings for our customers.”

Besides checking competitors’ prices, Hendley will also invite customers to bring their own music and movies to demo the showroom’s A/V product displays, and will provide in-store pick-up for online purchases.

Walt’s also maintains online “storefronts” on eBay and the third-party marketplaces of Amazon.com, Best Buy, Buy.com and Sears, and provides installation and repair services.

The 56-year-old business, which is a member of the Nationwide Marketing Group, will soft-open the new superstore in June and will hold a grand opening in August.